Colorado State University Athletics
Neaves hired to oversee CSU athletic communications and media department
7/10/2019 8:50:00 AM | General
Experienced administrator ran successful staff at WKU
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State athletic director Joe Parker has appointed Kyle Neaves as the associate athletic director for communications at the university, joining the Rams' athletic staff from Western Kentucky. Neaves will begin his duties on July 22.
"We are pleased to have Kyle lead our athletic communications staff," Parker said. "The programs he's instituted at Western Kentucky have been highly successful, and we look forward to him bringing the same energy and passion with him to Colorado State as we continue to tell the amazing stories of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff who represent our university."
Neaves joins the department after six years at Western Kentucky University, sitting in the role of associate athletic director for athletic communications and media relations since 2016. He oversaw the operations of the athletic communications and media relations office, assisting with strategic planning and serving as the department spokesman, as well as being the primary contact for the football program during one of the most successful four-year spans in school history which included the program's first Associated Press Top 25 ranking (2015) in the FBS era, consecutive C-USA championships (2015, 2016), three consecutive bowl championships (2014, 2015, 2016), and the two highest drafted players in program history (2017).
Hired originally by WKU in 2013, under his leadership social media growth and telling the story of WKU's student-athletes, coaches and staff have been focal points, and WKU's brand has seen a large increase in following as the communications and marketing offices have developed WKU's voice and platform into one of the best in Conference USA. He has also directed the creation of content for WKU's various platforms through graphic design, photography, and video. Neaves engaged the department to unify WKU's athletic brand through a redesign of the program's athletic logos and graphic standards which also included a total redesign of WKU's athletic website, twice, in moves with CBS Interactive and Sidearm Sports.
"This is an incredible opportunity, and I am thankful to director of athletics Joe Parker, Steve Cottingham and Chris Ferris for putting their trust in me to continue elevating the Colorado State brand," Neaves said. "There is an unmatched enthusiasm surrounding CSU, and I look forward to serving our student-athletes, coaches and staff members. I'd also like to thank my staff at Western Kentucky for their unrelenting efforts in support of Hilltopper and Lady Topper student-athletes, coaches and staff as well as WKU director of athletics Todd Stewart for his belief in me as a leader and communications professional."
Neaves and his staff were honored by the Football Writers Association of American as a Super 11 department following WKU's first FBS conference championship in 2015. He helped promote the football program's rise on a national level as the team won multiple C-USA titles, a trio of bowl games, produced three conference players of the year and earned more than 75 all-conference selections and 14 All-American honors.
Neaves earned a bachelor's degree in public relations from Southern Miss, where he spent five years working in the athletic media relations office. He started as a student volunteer in 2008, became a graduate assistant in 2009-10 – earning a master's in sports management in 2010 -- and was promoted to assistant director of athletic media relations, serving in the role from 2011-13. He spent a year away from Southern Miss following graduate school, spending five of those months as an intern with the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs as part of the communications division between the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Neaves then moved for six months to Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., working as the director of sports information before returning to Southern Miss.
"We are pleased to have Kyle lead our athletic communications staff," Parker said. "The programs he's instituted at Western Kentucky have been highly successful, and we look forward to him bringing the same energy and passion with him to Colorado State as we continue to tell the amazing stories of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff who represent our university."
Neaves joins the department after six years at Western Kentucky University, sitting in the role of associate athletic director for athletic communications and media relations since 2016. He oversaw the operations of the athletic communications and media relations office, assisting with strategic planning and serving as the department spokesman, as well as being the primary contact for the football program during one of the most successful four-year spans in school history which included the program's first Associated Press Top 25 ranking (2015) in the FBS era, consecutive C-USA championships (2015, 2016), three consecutive bowl championships (2014, 2015, 2016), and the two highest drafted players in program history (2017).
Hired originally by WKU in 2013, under his leadership social media growth and telling the story of WKU's student-athletes, coaches and staff have been focal points, and WKU's brand has seen a large increase in following as the communications and marketing offices have developed WKU's voice and platform into one of the best in Conference USA. He has also directed the creation of content for WKU's various platforms through graphic design, photography, and video. Neaves engaged the department to unify WKU's athletic brand through a redesign of the program's athletic logos and graphic standards which also included a total redesign of WKU's athletic website, twice, in moves with CBS Interactive and Sidearm Sports.
"This is an incredible opportunity, and I am thankful to director of athletics Joe Parker, Steve Cottingham and Chris Ferris for putting their trust in me to continue elevating the Colorado State brand," Neaves said. "There is an unmatched enthusiasm surrounding CSU, and I look forward to serving our student-athletes, coaches and staff members. I'd also like to thank my staff at Western Kentucky for their unrelenting efforts in support of Hilltopper and Lady Topper student-athletes, coaches and staff as well as WKU director of athletics Todd Stewart for his belief in me as a leader and communications professional."
Neaves and his staff were honored by the Football Writers Association of American as a Super 11 department following WKU's first FBS conference championship in 2015. He helped promote the football program's rise on a national level as the team won multiple C-USA titles, a trio of bowl games, produced three conference players of the year and earned more than 75 all-conference selections and 14 All-American honors.
Neaves earned a bachelor's degree in public relations from Southern Miss, where he spent five years working in the athletic media relations office. He started as a student volunteer in 2008, became a graduate assistant in 2009-10 – earning a master's in sports management in 2010 -- and was promoted to assistant director of athletic media relations, serving in the role from 2011-13. He spent a year away from Southern Miss following graduate school, spending five of those months as an intern with the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs as part of the communications division between the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Neaves then moved for six months to Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., working as the director of sports information before returning to Southern Miss.
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